You're mine and I am yours
by NikhilDoNz
Summary: This is the hunger games but this time peeta does not get reaped but gale does.
1. The Reaping

Chapter 1

'Please don't let it be me' This is the only thing that is going through my head as Effie Trinket puts her hand into the glass ball with the girl's names. She digs her hand in deep and says the name ever so clearly. And it is not me.

It's Primrose Everdeen. My body is working before my head and with out even thinking, I shove my way to Prim, screaming her name.

"I volunteer!" I gasp. There is some murmur and talk. District Twelve never had a volunteer before.

I can hear Prim screaming hysterically behind me. "No, Katniss! You can't go!"

Gale lifts Prim and takes her to my mother. "Wow! Interesting turn of events! Now, I bet my buttons you are her sister!" Effie says. "Let's give Katniss a round of applause"

No one claps but gives the sign of respect. Every member of the crowd touches the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and holds it up to me.

"Look at her. Look at this one!" Haymitch hollers, throwning an arm around my shoulder. "I like her! Lots of...spunk! More than you!" he shouts, pointing at the camera

"Now for our male tribute. And he is...Gale Hawthorne."

I stand there shocked. This can't be real. This is just a dream I will wake up. But I know it isn't. Who would feed Prim. I see Gale amoung the crowd and I know he is thinking the same thing as me but he doesn't show it. He walks to the front without hesitation or fear but I know he is breaking down inside.

"So here are your district 12 tibutes." Say Effire happily. The national anthem plays and I can see my mother and Prim in the crowd and they are crying.


	2. Visitors

Chapter 2

Me and Gale shake hands and then are taken to the Justice Building by some peacekeepers so we can meet our loved ones for the last time. Once inside, me and Gale are taken into different rooms. I thought I knew everyone who was going to visit me but the first visitor was much unexpected. It was the blond haired baker's son, Peeta or the boy with the bread as I call him. Why did he come? I don't even know him.

"Katniss, I won't let your family starve" he says as soon as he enters the room. "Tell Prim to come to our bakery everyday at five. I will give her some food and bread. They won't starve Katniss."

I am shocked! Why is he doing this? I wanted to ask him thousands of questions but I just said "What about Gale's family?"

"I'll give Prim their share too" Peeta says starting to leave even though his time wasn't up.

"Wait!" I tell him."Why are you doing this for Prim?"

"I'm not doing it for Prim." Is all he says and leaves.

That was a shock! Prim and my mother are the next ones to come. Prim instantly starts crying and flies into my arms.

"You can win this Katniss. You can hunt and you are strong!" says Prim and I promise her that I will try my hardest that I will win.

"Prim you've got to listen to me!" I start. "You know where the bakery is?" She nods "The baker's son Peeta has promised to give you some food to keep our family and Gale's family alive. Go to the bakery at five everyday. He will provide you with food."

"Why" is all she answers by.

"Don't question a favour" is all I say because even I don't know why he is doing this.

Then some peacekeepers come and order them out. I love you I shout at them. My next quest is also unexpected. Madge walks straight to me. "They let you wear one thing from your district in the arena. One thing to remind you of your home. Wear this." She holds a circular gold pin with a mokingjay on it. "Promise you'll wear it in the arena?" She asks.

"Yes," I say and pin it on my dress. She then leaves without further discussion.


	3. Train Ride

Chapter 3

That's it I don't have any more visitors obviously. The peacekeepers come and take me all he way to the train station where I will have my last moments in District 12. I see Gale being lead by a group of peacekeeper too but we get into different cars so we won't be able to talk until the train ride.

The station is packed with reporters and camera crew. Lucky I didn't cry or the tears would have defiantly shown on the cameras when they play the replays later on today. I see Gale and know that he hasn't been crying too but he has tears on his shirt probably Rory's or Posy's. He looks kind of bored and I know he is trying to hide his fear and is doing a lot better than I am. He sees me and smiles.

We have to stand for bit in the doorway of the train while the cameras gobble up our images, then we're allowed inside and the doors close behind us.

We are each lead into our rooms which have a private bathroom with hot and cold running water. I just stand there admiring the beauty of the room. Gale enters the room and breaks my stare. "These rooms are well fancy." I tell him but he just ignores that statement and starts talking.

"You've got to win this. I won't see you die." He says. "Even if it means killing me," He adds

"You know I can't do that" I tell him. "You have always bean the stronger you will win this not me."

"If it is you and me at the end I would rather die than kill you."

"What if I'm dyeing a painful death would you kill me to put me out of my misery." He thinks for a while and says

"No, would you."

"No."

"We can't both win this Katniss. There will only be one victor."

"Then that would be you." I tell him.

"This isn't going to get us anywhere. Let's just talk about now." He says. "Our families our going to starve. Who are going to feed them while we are gone? I told Rory to try trading in the hob what about you?"

The baker's son, Peeta has promised to feed mine and your family. He told me to tell Prim to go to the bakery everyday at five and he will give some bread and food to keep our families alive." I tell him.

"Why?" Is all he says.

"I asked him why he is doing this for Prim but he only said that he isn't doing this for Prim and left."

"At least our families won't starve."

Just then Effie comes to collect us for supper. We follow her into a dining room with polished panelled walls. The food is great. I am stuffing myself because I never had food like this before, so well and so much. I see Gale across the table and I see him doing the same and I know he is thinking that the best thing we can do between no and the games is put on a few pounds.

"At least you two have decent manners," says Effie. "The pair last year ate everything with their hand like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion."

This angers me and probably even Gale because after that comment we both ate the rest of the meal with our hands. After a meal I feel sick. I look across the table and see that even Gale is trying to keep the food down.

We go to another compartment to watch the recap of the reaping. We examine the faces of the kids we have got to kill. A huge boy from 2. A fox-faced girl from 5. A twelve year old girl who reminds me of Prim from 11. And finally they show 12. Prim being reaped and me running forward to volunteer. The silent salute and Haymitch falling of the stage. Then Gale being reaped and him walk to the stage with no fear at all.


	4. Advice

Chapter 4

Just then Haymitch enters the room. He sits down on the chair in front of me and Gale.

"You're supposed to give us some advice," Gale tells Haymitch.

"Here's some advice. Stay alive," says Haymitch then bursts out laughing.

"That's very funny," says Gale. Suddenly he lashes out at the glass in Haymitch's hand. It shatters on the floor, sending the blood-red liquid running towards the back of the train."Only not to us."

Haymitch considers this for a moment then punches Gale on the jaw. Me anticipating Haymitch's move drive a knife into the table between his hands and the bottle he was reaching for. He doesn't attack me like he did to Gale but sits back on his chair.

"Well, what's this?" says Haymitch. "Did I actually have a pair of fighters this year? Can you hit anything else with that knife?"

"Knives are not my type of weapon but I am handy with a bow." I tell him.

"She's not just handy with a bow but brilliant. I'm her hunting partner so I should know. She hits every animal on the eye," says Gale.

"Gale's a whiz with snares. His snares always catch something." I say.

"So you two are friend. The sponsors would like this and you might actually get a few sponsors," says Haymitch. "There might not be a bow in the arena and we can't afford to send you one like district 4 sent Finnick that trident but some traps would be at the cornucopia and snares could be made anywhere. Don't show your skill during the training or else the careers would know your speciality so try something different. Show your skills during the private session but until then I want you two to show your friendship whenever there is a camera. One more thing, don't resist whatever your prep team and stylists do to you. Is that enough advice?"

"So you're not just a drunken victor," says Gale and leaves to his room. I too make my way to my room.

It hasn't even been five minutes since I reached my room when Gale enters my room again.

"I hate being on my own in that room," says Gale.

"Me too," is all I say.

"What are we going to do when we get to the Capitol," asks Gale.

"Meet our stylists, the chariot ride, training and the lists go on," I tell Gale.

"I hope we don't get a stylists who make us wear coal dust like they did a few years back or think that nude is the last name for fashion." says Gale.

"Me too."

"What is wrong with you Katniss? Since the reaping you haven't talked that much and when you do talk you only a one or two word answer."

"It's the games. It's that I will never see Prim or my mother or the woods or district 12 ever again."

"You will. You will win the games and live the rest of your life in style in the victor village."

"I'm not going into that conversation again but I am going to say that even if by some fluke that I win the games, my life will never be the same again. I would never be able to hunt with you again. My life will never be the same because of these games."

"I know. This is all the Capitols fault."

"I know."

Then Effie enters the room telling us to get ready because we are now in the place of nightmares. The Capitol.


	5. Stylists and Prep Teams

Chapter 5

The Capitol is stunning! Nearly all the buildings are so luxurious that the best building in District 12, the Justice Building, isn't as good as the normal everyday houses in the Capitol. This makes me and Gale angry. How can the Capitol have this much money and luxury and let the other districts starve to death.

"Now you've got to meet you're stylists." Says Effie happily. We get into a limo! This is incredible! I have never been in a car before and know I am sitting in a limo. The seats are all smooth and soft that I feel like drifting off right here right now. The journey from the train station and the Remake room where they will make try to make us pretty enough for the Opening Ceremonies isn't long.

Our prep teams are waiting outside ready to meet us. The team the come to me are probably me prep team. Their are threes members in my prep team. Venia, a woman with aqua hair and gold tattoos above her eyebrows. Flavius, a man dressed lavishly, like most Capitol citizens, especially those in the fashion industry. His hair formed orange corkscrew curl and he was wore purple lipsticks. Octavia, a plump woman whose entire body has been dyed pale shades of green. She also wears three-inch decorative nails.

They introduce themselves and then lead me into the Remake Centre. I ask them where my stylist is but they say that he said he will see me when all the obvious problems are gone. They make me strip naked and then they start working on me. Venia starts extracting hair from my body which kills while Octavia rubs me with lotion that soothes my raw skin as Venia rips away and Flavius who wields tweezers to remove the shorter hair that Venia missed.

"Excellent! You all most look like a human being now!" says Flavius, and they all start laugh.

I force my lips up into a smile to show how grateful I am. "Thank you," I say sweetly. "We don't have much cause to look nice in District Twelve."

This wins them over completely. "Of course you don't you poor darling!" says Octavia, clasping her hands together in distress for me.

"But don't worry," says Venia. "By the time Cinna is through with you, you're going to look absolutely gorgeous! We promise! You know, now that we've got rid of all the hair and filth, you're not horrible at all! Let's call Cinna.

They dart out of the room. It's hard to hate my prep team because they are such total idiots. And yet in a way, I know that they are sincerely trying to help me. The doors open and a young man who must be Cinna enters the room. I'm taken aback by how normal he looks. Cinna's close-cropped hair appears to be its natural shade of brown. He is in the a simple shirt and trousers. They only concession to self-alteration seems to be a metallic gold eyeliner that has been applied with a light hand.

"Hello, Katniss. I'm Cinna, your stylists," he says in a quiet voice somewhat lacking in the Capitol's affectations.

"Hi," I say. "You're new, aren't you?"

Yes, this is my first year in the Games."

"So they gave you District Twelve."

"I asked for Twelve," he says without further explanation. "So, Katniss, about your costume for the opening ceremonies. My partner, Portia, is the stylist for your fellow tribute and your friend Gale." How does he know me and Gale are friend? Haymitch must have told him. "And our current thought is to dress you and Gale in costume that reflect the flavour of your district," he says.

"So I'll be in a miner's outfit?" I ask.

"Not exactly. We more of focused on the coal mining itself, we're going to focus on coal," says Cinna and I then think that I'm going to be naked and covered in black dust. "And what do we do with coal? We burn it. You're not afraid of fire , are you, Katniss?" He says. He sees mu expression and grins.


	6. The Opening Ceremonies

Chapter 6

I and Gale are standing on the chariots in a few hours wearing sensational or deadly costumes in the opening ceremonies. It's a simple black unitard that covers me from ankle to neck. The fluttering cape made of streams of orange, yellow and red and the matching headpiece defines our costumes. Cinna plans on setting us on fire just before our chariot roles into the streets.

"It's not real flame, of course, just a little synthetic fire Portia and I came up with. You'll be perfectly safe." He says. But me and Gale are not convinced we won't be perfectly barbecued by the time we reach the city centre.

"Katniss the girl on fire," says Gale. "Suits you, Catnip." I just smile because I'm still sure that I would be roasted. Gale probably sees my thoughts like he always does and says "Don't worry Catnip! I'll rip that cape off you if anything happens." I smile and say that I'll rip off his as well.

"Where's Haymitch?" asks Gale. He probably won't want his tributes to be burned to toast before the games even started would he? No. So where the hell is he?

"He's not here because alcohol is flammable." I tell him and we both start laughing. I guess we're nervous about the Games and petrified of being turned into human torches that we're not acting sensibly.

The music begins and massive doors slip open, revealing the enormous crowd. The tributes from one starts riding out in their chariot. Their stylists wouldn't off have to work hard to find the right outfit for them because District 1 makes luxury items for the Capitol. They are dressed in spray-painted silver and in tasteful tunics glittering with jewels. The crowd goes wild.

District 2 gets into position and follows them. When District 11 is just rolling out, Cinna appears with a lighted torch. Before we can react, he sets fire to our capes. I gasp, waiting for the heat but it doesn't come. Cinna lets out a sigh of relief. Cinna jumps off the chariot..

I turn around and look at Gale for the first time, I look at Gale. He looks amazing. I can't find the right words to describe how dazzling he looks. This is the first time I thought like this of Gale. He is good looking and my closest friend but I never thought him as anything more than just friends.

"You look amazing Gale!" I tell him. He looks at me and he smiles.

"You look beautiful Catnip. They will love you and you might even get some sponsors to help you win in the arena." I look at him shocked. At one moment he is saying I look beautiful and the next he is saying I will win this and he will die. I can't believe him and was going to make him taste a piece of my mind but I can't find the words. He sees this and grins.

Finally it's time for District 12. The crowd goes absolutely ballistic. More for Gale than me. They start chanting his name but he does nothing but just smirk at them and that makes them go even crazy. They start throwing roses and flowers at him and blow kisses at him. He is probably going to be the next Finnick Odair at this rate if he wins this.

I look at him and just stare at him. He is stunning. This is the first time I think that I think of Gale like this. He sees that I'm staring at him and gives me a shake and holds my hand. I add more pressure to his hand and grip it like I'm holding his hand for my life. The crowd sees this and start cheering my name as well as Gales.

The twelve chariots fill the loop of the City Centre. When we reach President Snow's mansion, we come to a halt. The president gives the official welcome from the balcony above us. I see that the other tributes are giving us dirty looks. They know that we out shone them. Gale sees this too and gives the tributes a smirk. I give him nudge and a look that says why are you doing this? He smiles at me. We don't want to get into the bad books of the Careers and Gale knows that so why is he making himself the number one target of the Careers. Then it hits me! Gale's doing this so he can bring the attention of the Careers to him and lead them off me. The games haven't even begun and he is already trying to protect me.

Two can play that game and I give the Careers a even bigger and smirkier smile that says that we won and you are losers. The boy tribute for two sees this and goes red with rage and that makes my smile go bigger. Gale sees this and gives me a look that says what are you doing? Don't do that ever again.

The president finishes his speech and we are paraded for the last time around the circle and the disappears in the Training Centre. As soon as the doors close Gale rips his cape of and starts yelling angrily "What the hell were you thinking out there. The careers would target you."

"You were doing the same," I tried to tell him.

"That was to keep you alive and I'm telling you that you're getting out of the arena if you like it or not and you're not going to stop me." He screams. I see fiery determination in his eyes and I know that there is no point in arguing now. Right then Cinna come in.

"That is more than what I was expecting. They absolutely love you." He says.

"Yeah. I hope their burning blind love will get us out of the arena alive." Sarcasm drips from Gale's words. Cinna seems to be surprise by it. Gale removes my cape and head dress. I want to say something to Cinna but words cannot seem to get out of my mouth at the moment. I feel Gale dragging me towards the elevator. I manage to give Cinna an apologetic look before the elevator doors close before me and Gale.

When the door closes he looks straight into my eyes. "You got to win this Katniss. Please promise me you will try to win this." I see the determination of keeping me alive and the anger in his eyes and I know that by saying no would only make the situation worse so I look him into the eyes and lie to him saying that I promise to try and stay alive. His body relaxes and then he does something that I never thought he would ever do. He kissed me full on the lips.

It's my first kiss. I have no idea how it should be done or how it should feel. But I just press myself harder against his body. My arms wrap around his neck pulling him closer. I want him as close as possible. A first kiss maybe should be gentle and sweet to make it perfect. But Gale is kissing me desperately right now and it's perfect. His lips are so warm and it makes me feel like I cannot breathe without him.

The elevator doors were slowly opening when Gale pulled me away from him.

"I had to do that," he says and smiles and I return a smile. Then I realize what just happened. I kissed Gale. Gale! My best friend since I was twelve. How did this happen? I and he just kissed! But somehow it felt right. I didn't want to let go.


	7. First Night

Chapter 7

I can't believe what just happened! I just kissed my best friend. Well he just kissed me but I kissed him back. I don't know why but I did. I walk over to dinner.

"You were amazing," Effie says, running over to hug me. "Everybody loves you! Do you know what that means? It means I can attend more parties because of you two." I can't believe it! How can these Capitol people be so selfish? They only care for themselves. I see Gale sitting on the table and I know that he is also trying to hold back his anger but not doing it successfully because you can clearly see the anger on his face. Haymitch even in his drunken state sees this too and tells him to calm down which he finally does.

While we are eating, when I see a girl serving Haymitch. "Hey, I know you," I say. We were out in the woods one day when a hovercraft appeared chasing a boy and a girl. They were trying to escape or something. The hovercraft finally caught them two and the man inside killed the boy while taking the girl as prisoner. I keep on feeling like I could have helped her.

The girl shakes her head and runs off. Gale must of recognised her too because he suddenly tensed but gave me a look saying we'll talk about it later.

"How can you know an avox, Katniss?" says Effie.

"What's an avox?" I ask her.

"Someone who committed a crime. They cut off their tongue so she can't speak," says Haymitch. "She's probably a traitor or some sort. Not likely you'd know her." But I do know her. I was going to say something when Gale comes to my rescue.

"That's it! She looks exactly like a girl in my school. I kept thinking she looked familiar as well."

The energy at the table relaxes and everyone carries on eating. I ask to be accused and Gale does same. We walk to my room but it is probably bugged or their are cameras there so I don't think it is a good place to talk. Gale must be thinking the same because he tells me that the wind is strong on the roof where Cinna showed him and I take it as no one will hear us there.

"We should say sorry or something," I tell him as soon as we reach the roof. "Do you think she forgot us?"

"No you don't forget your last hope," Gale says and I know it is true. You don't forget your last hope. I feel kind of uncomfortable alone with Gale here after the kisses. He just made our friendship kind of complicated. He sees this in my face but doesn't say anything.

"Do you think we could have helped her," I say breaking the awkwardness.

"No we would of been killed or been turned into avox's too." He says. Then there is an awkward silence because neither of us knows what to say. Before the kiss, this never happened but the kiss messed that up. I want to tell him what he did and ask him why he did it but I can't and I know I can't admit it because I don't even know myself if it is true but I want to kiss him again. It just felt right. I don't know why but I think I'm craving for another kiss but I can't say anything about it and neither can Gale.

"I think I should better go to my room now," I tell Gale and he nods and walks away. I do the same and walk to my room. I'm actually really tired after today and I can't wait to go to sleep.

I walk to my room and jump into my bed without changing or removing my clothes. I thought sleep would hit me straight away but it doesn't. I can't get to sleep somehow. I toss and turn for hours but sleep doesn't arrive. It is probably because we got our first day of training tomorrow or it is that I will be probably dead in a few days time but I know that is not the case. It is the kiss from Gale. Why did he have to kiss me for? It ruined our friendship kind of and we can't talk to each other like we used to and now I can't go to sleep.

Finally after what felt like hours of tossing and turning, someone knocks on the door. I check my clock and it is still one a clock at night. Who would be knocking at this time? I go to open the door and what I find is a shirtless Gale. I've seen Gale with fewer clothes on before but that was before the kiss when we were like brother and sister. Right now I fell uncomfortable and kind of shocked.

"Can't sleep?" I ask him with the best normal voice I can make. He nods and it clearly shows in his face that he know that I feel uncomfortable but he doesn't say anything.

I nod because I can't sleep either and that Gale in my bed could probably bring me sleep. "You're welcome to sleep in my bed for tonight," I tell him. He still doesn't say anything but walks to my bed and jumps in.

Why Gale is shirtless is the first thought in my head but then I realise that it is a habit that he goes to sleep shirtless. Then I think why I let him sleep in my bed when I don't fell comfortable near him after the kiss but that answer I already know. Because that kiss felt right and I want Gale to kiss me again which he'll probably do tonight.

"Are you just going to stand their all night?" I remember where I am and walk into the bed with my back to Gale. I thought that I could sleep if Gale is near me but it isn't working. Every time Gale moves, I stop breathing thinking Gale will do something. No, hoping Gale will do something.

I shift on the bed and proceed to lie on my side so that my back is against him. I stare at nothing in particular. I try to think of something. The Games. Home. Training. Prim. Food. The clothes Cinna will put me in for the interview. But nothing seems to stay for long enough in my mind. For every small movement Gale makes, I stop breathing. It's like I'm anticipating him to do something. Well I guess I'm really waiting for him to do something… I can't stop the blush forming on my cheeks right now. This is just crazy! Why am I wishing for him to do… something? He came to seek comfort. That's all. Now he's probably asleep. I should be sleeping as well. But when I close my eyes my senses just become more alert and then when Gale moves, my heartbeat quickens. I can't help it but to be aware of how loud the beating of my heart is right now. This is not good…

I suddenly feel Gale turn over… He's facing my back now I can feel it. He moves closer to me. Is he awake? I shut my eyes tightly close. I don't know what I'm getting so nervous about. It's just Gale.

I turn to Gale and now I'm looking straight into his grey, stormy eyes and find out that he is not asleep because he is looking straight into my eyes. I think he is trying to do something and I find myself trying to do something. Finally I can't bear. "You can do anything you want," I tell him. He's quite shocked because of this but put's his arm around my waist and pulls me into his warmth. I hear his constant beating of his heart at my ear and then I know it. I can't let this heartbeat stop. I won't let it stop. He wants it to stop but I won't.

I look up into his eyes. He moves his head closer to my head. I get ready for my second kiss with Gale but he kisses me on my nose. I look up at him shocked and that makes him laugh.

"What!" I say laughing myself.

"You want me to kiss you?" He says and I know this time he is not joking. I blush and for him that is confirmation that I do and he leans forward and this time kisses me full on the lips. This is way better then the last kiss! I deepen it and pull myself closer to him. The kiss spreads warmth around my body and like before, I fell I can't breathe without him. He finally removes his lips from mine and I feel the warmth quickly escape my body. I give him a look asking for more but just smiles and pull me closer and close his eyes.

This is a sign that go to sleep that is enough kisses for tonight. I pull myself closer to his chest and let his warmth spread through my body. Is Gale always this warm? If he is, I wouldn't mind another visit to my bed. I rest my head on his chest and let the beating of his heart slowly put me into sleep. Right before I doze off, I make a promise with myself that I won't let that heart of his stop.


End file.
